Wow, guys. Thanks so much for all the love you showed to me and my blog yesterday. It may seem kind of silly, but yesterday really did feel very special to me. ChiaSeedMe has seen me through so many moments this past year, and it has been such a blessing as it’s allowed me a place to express myself in so many different ways. It’s really quite amazing when you think about it. A blog makes it possible for a person to have a responsive audience to whatever it is you need to share – fears, hopes, dreams. It also has allowed me to express myself through photography and writing, which I never would have had the opportunity to do otherwise.

Another aspect I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday was hearing all the comments from those of you who love chia seeds! These little guys are taking the world by storm.

And speaking of chia seeds, last night I added them to a meal that I’ve never added them to before. And they were delicious as always.

When I was growing up, it was a rarity for my mom to not have a homemade meal on the table. It was a norm for her to call us in from playing outside five times before we would actually come, and I remember never wanting to stop for dinner (who was I?). But now I hold very dear the memories of our whole family sitting around the table every night. My mom was (and is:) a great cook; some of her specialties included mexican casserole, tacos, meatloaf, chicken and rice casserole, roast with cooked potatoes and carrots, and last but definitely not the least – her famous spaghetti sauce.

I always loved spaghetti nights. The sauce would simmer on the stove for hours as each flavor mingled together giving off the most mouth-watering aroma you can possibly imagine. It would fill the entire house, luring us in from any part of the house; she probably got so tired of us inquiring “when will dinner be ready, mom?” Sitting here right now I can vividly taste the slightly sweet, warm tomato flavors.

Now that I am older I can appreciate more than ever before the fact that my mom valued having a healthy, homemade meal on the table (almost) every single night. Having my own family (minus kids) now, I realize how challenging it is to meal plan, get the groceries bought, plan ahead for preparation and create a tasty meal in time for dinner. But I’m so thankful that it was important to her to do so and that she instilled that importance in me.

Last night’s dinner was the ChiaSeedMe version of spaghetti sauce. Honestly, it doesn’t taste a whole lot like my mom’s. But, I’ve dabbled in making from scratch spaghetti sauces before, and this one is by far the most delicious. The flavors are much more complex and they work so well together, but this recipe was super easy as well.

I started off by sauteeing some chopped onion and garlic in olive oil until both turned slightly golden and then adding one and half chopped bell peppers.

As soon as the peppers had turned tender, I poured in the tomato puree, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, mixing them together until the different textures became one and it became smooth. Already my nose was being filled with the fresh italian aroma.

Next came the seasonings – basil, a lot of italian seasoning, rosemary, garlic powder, sea salt and ground red pepper. Dumped them all in and stirred like crazy. When they were all incorporated well, I completed the second best step – the taste test. I recommend you definitely not skip this step as you may want to adjust the seasonings to perfectly suit your tastes:)

And lastly, it was time to add in the namesake of this recipe…the star of the show.

As many of you know, the chia seeds did not affect the flavor of this sauce, but what they did add is protein, iron, omega 3′s and 6′s, calcium, fiber and other vitamins. After sprinkling them over the sauce, I stirred to incorporate them well and then allowed the sauce to simmer for another ten minutes or so. This gave the chia seeds time to soften and gel up; they were undetectable in the sauce, but they gave it a little bit thicker texture and absorbed some of the liquid so that the sauce wasn’t the least bit watery when ladled over the noodles.

After adding the chias, I took a quick break from the sauce to toss a handful of thin spaghetti noodles (the best kind) in some boiling water so they’d have just enough time to cook. We can’t forget the noodles!

My only question is: how did I never think of this before now?

Spicy Chia Spaghetti Sauce

Ingedients

29 ounce can tomato puree

8 ounce can tomato sauce

small can tomato paste

2 tbsp italian seasoning

2 tsp dried basil

1 tbsp garlic powder

2 tsp rosemary

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground red pepper

1 – 1.5 tbsp chia seeds

1.5 bell peppers, any color, chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 tsp olive oil, for sauteeing

2 tsp minced garlic

Directions

Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until both are slightly golden.

Add bell pepper and continue to saute until tender.

Pour in tomato sauce, tomato paste and tomato puree and stir until well combined.

Serve over whole wheat thin spaghetti with a sprinkling of Angela’s vegan parmesan and a side of sprouted bread slathered with Earth Balance and garlic powder and toasted in the oven until slightly crispy.

Mexican look out – italian just might be moving in for good!

How did your family handle dinnertime when you were growing up? Did you eat around the table like me? Was it family night around the TV? Do share – I love hearing how other families live!

**Also, don’t forget to enter ChiaSeedMe’s one year anniversary giveaway for some chia seeds or a special secret care package of my favorite little things! You can enter by clicking here or by clicking the button on my side bar.

16 Responses to “a new chia recipe”

Very cool addition. I make my sauce and jar it – saves lots of money buying it and I know exactly what’s in it. For the most part, we ate at the dinner table as kids. Now when we got into junior- and senior-high, things were more chaotic.

I do mine while the sauce is still hot. You boil your jars and put your hot sauce in the hot jars. You heat the lid/caps (not the rings), but you don’t boil them. Place them on top, tighten rings on and boil in really large pot or pressure cooker for 20 minutes with lid on. They should all pop/seal within a few minutes after that. I think most of the jars come with instructions (plus there’s google LOL)

One of my very favorite things to make is homemade sauce. I don’t have a family recipe or anything, so it’s a little different each time. There’s nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of pasta with sauce on a chilly day. I love the addition of chia!

Totally agree – one of the very best comfort foods. I know what you mean about the recipe being different every time. I guess that’s part of the fun – experimenting with something new each time we make it!

great idea! i like to top my soups and salads with chia seeds. i also take a teaspoon of chia seeds with water when i have heartburn. it seems to really help!

my mother was also a great cook, and we ate a homemade meal as a family around the table almost every night. dinner was always my favorite part of the day. i’d usually help by making a salad or setting the table, then i’d hang around, impatiently asking when it was going to be ready. (‘cept when i was younger, i was like you playing outside like there was no tomorrow!=)